Presentations by Black Speakers from RGD's 2021 Events
02/02/22

In celebration of Black History Month, the RGD shares presentations from our 2021 Conferences by five Black industry creative leaders. 

 

These presentations, available in RGD's Video Archive for RGD Members with over 750 recorded RGD conference and webinar presentations, are available to all for the month of February. 

 

Maurice Cherry

Talk: Content is Subject to Change

 
 

The Internet has revolutionized nearly every part of modern society and has allowed everyone to contribute in some form to the general public record. But that public record is also deteriorating at a rapid rate. What happens when history can no longer be easily accessed. Or worse, when history can be changed, restricted or completely erased? In this talk, Maurice

reflects upon the problem and proposes a possible solution. 

 

Greg Hoffman

Talk: Equality by Design: Cultural Impact Through Creative Leadership

 
 
Greg believes that all creatives possess the innate ability to be creative cultural leaders and influence the design industry to be more diverse and inclusive. In this talk, Greg shows us how creatives can use political, cultural and civil movements of the past year to create an inclusive world with his work at Nike as the example.
 

Chino Nnadi

Talk: Creating Equity in the Design Industry as Senior Professionals

 
 

As part of this panel discussion, Chino shows us what being a truly diverse organization means. It's not just about hiring a diverse work force, it's about investing in a diverse team and fundamentally changing systems. She also speaks about the importance of mentorship for young BIPOC designers and designing with diversity in mind.

 

Omari Souza

Talk: African-Lunar Design Aesthetic

 
 
 
For members of the African diaspora, design and other methods of creative expression have been an exploration of the trauma of our abduction and continental separation. Poor record-keeping during African captivity has made it impossible for most to make any valid claim to specific cultural African linage. We have simultaneously been rendered less American due to the captive status of our Ancestors and less African due to the same captivity. But how does this reality evolve once humans are capable of living off-planet? Omari poses “what if” questions predicated on using our medium to challenge what is and how we might influence a better future through the strength of our design solutions. 
 

Anne H. Berry, Jennifer Rittner and Kelly Walters

Talk: Shared Visions for Change Design

 

 

Educators have an opportunity and a mandate to centre new voices in the curriculum, to expand the canon and to decentre those forms and figures who have predominated for too long. While that means introducing new resources in our classrooms, it also means changing how we teach and how we expect students to learn. This talk introduces the names of those who have influenced us, share our visions for reform and model inclusion through our pedagogies and practices.